Confirmation of the coming LB sjofy comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced earlier today (April 22) a similar change in statewide guidance, and L.A. County's Dept. of Public Health and the City of L.A. (by Mayor Eric Garcetti) signaled similar changes

LB city management confirmed the upcoming policy shift in response to an inquiry by LBREPORT.com. We submitted a question to the City's Joint Information Center directed to LB Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis, noting that earlier in the day (April 22), L.A. County Dept. of Public Health Dir Barbara Ferrer indicated that with large numbers of deaths at institutional settings (most at skilled nursing facilities), L.A. County is working to include testing at institutional settings where people aren't smptomatic. The change could involve tests for both residents/patients and staff. LBREPORY.com asked if LB would be implementing a similar change, and if so when and if not why not?

At 5:57 p.m., Ed Kamlan in the city's Joint Information Center emailed: "Yes, the City is also working on something similar."

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Earlier in the 3 p.m. hour, Mayor Robert Garcia didn't mention such a change; he again urged LB residents to use LB test facilities (newly exoanded) but available only to those who have symptoms. (On April 17, Riverside County began offering tests to any persons who don't show symptoms (LBREPORT.com coverage here.)

In the 5 p.m. hour, City of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that L.A. residents who work in delivering essential services (including police, firefighters and workers in grocery stores) will now be able to receive tests even if they don't yet display symptoms.

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She indicated the change comes in response to outbreaks at skilled nursing facilities after new information indicates more people are positive than previously thought who aren't sick and don't display symptoms. She said the studies mean "we have to change our strategy and adjust." Dr. Ferrer ackowledged that previous protocols focused on testing persons with symptoms but said it turns out "we were wong." She said new information (in studies by Stanford University and L.A. County, LBREPORT.com coverage here) are now clear that non-symptomatic persons are capable of spreading the virus. She noted this is especially true in facilities where most of the care is delivered by staff who are bathing, feeding and moving in close contact with residents. She said it's become clear that it's now the County's obligation to test all residents and employees regardless if they show symptoms or not...This will allow us to make sure residents and employees -= even if have no symptoms --will be immediately isolated form others even if they're not sick.

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In its April 22 update, the City said that of LB's 489 positive COVID-19 test results to date, 147 have been confirmed at a total of7 long term care facilities (a figure that includes sites with acive cases, cleared cases and fatalities, and include both facility residents and staff members.)

LBREPORT.com will detail the City's expected change in policy when issued.

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